Method of and apparatus for casting



W. P. CUNNINGHAM. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING.

- APPLICATION FILED OCT. l8, I920 l 872,678o

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1920.

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w. P. CUNNINGHAM. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CASTING. APPLICATION FILED OCT. I8, 1920.

Patented Mar. 29, I921.

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METHOD 0E AND APPARATUS FOR, CASTING.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mlar. so, 1921.

Application filed October 18, 1920. Serial No. 417,727.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Casting, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to casting metal parts, and more particularly to methods of and apparatus for casting copper contacts onto tubes or coils .in forming fluid cooled contacts for electrode holders such as are used for holding the electrodes of electric furnaces.

Broadly, my invention consists in placing or assembling a number of chill mold pieces in predetermined position around the tube or coil to which it is desired to cast the parts, to insert metal pieces of considerable size between the tubes to hold and space them apart, then mounting suitable sand basins or pouring molds on top of said chill mold sections, and then finally directing molten metal through said basins and into the chill mold in such manner as not to fall upon the coils or tubes.

The chill mold sections and the inserted metal pieces serve to absorb the heat from the molten metal, thereby causing a rapid cooling and preventing the fusing of the tubes and resultant disadvantages, so common in the ordinary casting methods now employed.

One of the objects of my invention is to generally improve the art of casting parts on tubes or coils, and especially to improve the art of casting copper contacts for electrodes of the class described.

Another object is to provide a new and novel form of mold to be used in carrying out my improved method.

These and other objects and advantages will be fully described and set forth in the following specification, and illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fluid cooled contact for use in electrode holders of electric furnaces.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the holder of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a complete set of molds used in casting the contacts shown in Fig. 1, in accordance with my improved method. 4

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

employ a Fig. 5 is an irregular transverse section on the line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through one mold member on the line VTVT of Fig. 3, showing the pipe coil and separators in position.

Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line VII- VII of Fig. 3, and showing the location of one of the gates and risers formed in the pouring mold.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the complete set of molds taken on the line VTH-JTTH of Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, which shows a completed contact member, 2 designates the coils or pipes which are preferably made of copper, and are adapted to carry a cooling fluid. The coils or pipes 2 are fastened or secured at their ends in a contact member 3 having a vertical extension 3. The free ends of the coils extend vertically through and above the contact 3, and branches or side portions 4 extend from the contact member 3 in the form of curved loops. The upper branch of each loop passes through the upper portion of a contact 5 and beyond. This branch is then bent down and returned through the lower portion of the same contact.

Great difficulty has been experienced in casting the contacts 3 and 5 on the pipe or coil 2, since these coils become fused and develop breaks, flaws, or other'imperfections. The present invention has for its purpose to eliminate these difficulties by the use of the novel apparatus of Figs. 3 to 8, and by following the novel method set forth.

In following out my improved method, I base plate 10 and loosely mount thereon a plurality of molds A and B which are adapted to fit around the coils 2 to re ceive the metal when cast.

For each of the contacts 5, a mold A. is used, composed of two mold sections 11 and 12. The section 12 is mounted on the base platelO and has a base 13 and a vertical concave wall 14 which is provided with semicircular grooves 15 adapted to receive the horizontal branches 4 of the coil 2. The .66.-

. mold B for the contact 3, are mounted sand cal walls 14 and 16 are cut away to form a casting chamber 18 of the desired shape of the finished casting.

The contact member 3 is formed in the mold B, composed of a plurality of mold sections 20 20", 20, 20 and 20".

The sections 20 and 20 are mounted on the base plate 10. The section 20 has a vertical concave wall 21, and the section 20 has a Vertical convex wall 22 adapted to fit against the concave wall 21. Both of the mold sections 20 and 20 are provided with semi-circular grooves 23 and 24, respectively, to fit around and engage the curved branches 4 of the coil, and are further cut away to form part of the casting chamber 25 for the contact 3 and extension 3.

The mold sections 20, 20 and 20 are mounted on top of the sections 20 and 20", and are cut away forming vertical semi-circular grooves 26, 27 28, and 29, adapted to engage around the vertical tube extension 2'" of the coil, and are further cut away to form the remainder of the casting chamber 25 for the contact 3 and extension 3.

In order to aid the operator to set the parts correctly in alinement, suitable center lines may be marked on the base, and other center lines may be marked on the mold sections so that the operator will only need to match up these lines in order to correctly set the molds.

The several mold sections mounted loosely upon the base plate 10 are held in position and against displacement by a spider member 31 havings legs 32 adapted to support it above the base plate 10, and an outside ring or band member 33 having legs 34, and a series of wedge members 35, some of which are driven between the band member 33 and the several mold sections, and others of which are driven between the spider member 31 and the several mold sections.

The mold sections 20 and 20 are held together by a clamping member 36 and are further held in engagement with the base section 20 by clamping members 37.

Before the mold sections are mounted or secured around the coil 2, suitable separators or blocks 50 adapted to fit snugly between the pipes, and of adequate thickness and length to reduce the amount of molten metal otherwise needed to fill the casting chambers, and also of such size and quality as to quickly absorb the heat from the molten metal as it flows into the casting chambers, thereby preventing the burning of the coils as the metal flows up around the same, are inserted between the coils at the points where the casting is to be made.

On top of each of the pairs of cooperating mold sections 11, 12, forming the molds A, for the contacts 5, and the sections 20, 20, and 20 which form the upper part of the molds 40 and 41, respectively, which may be chamber,

emme made from green sand or be baked in the same manner as cores, before being put in position.

The sand molds 40 are provided with a thereof. Suitable sink heads or risers 44 are I also provided in the molds and communicate with the casting chamber for the well known purpose of leaving out air, and for allowing the addition of metal after the mold has become filled and closed the gates 43.

The sand mold 41 is provided with two holes or apertures 45 through which the vertical extending free ends 2 of the coil 2 pass, and is further provided with a pouring chamber'46 having a gate 47 located in such a position that the metal passing or flowing therethrough will not strike the tubes of the coil 2, but will fall to the one side thereof. A suitable riser or sink head 48 is also provided to allow the escape of the air from the casting chamber, and the addition of molten metal as is usual in the casting art.

The vertical ends 2 of the coil 2 are extended through the apertures 45 in the mold 41 to provide for circulation of air within the coil and to allow for the escape of hot gases formed within the coil as the molten metal flows around the same. These ends are cut ofl to a shorter length in the finished article, as shown in Fig. 1.

My improved method consists in first mounting the hollow article, which in the present instance is the coil 2, into a chill mold or sectional chill mold of cast iron or other suitable metal having suitable casting chambers formed therein, inserting separators or blocks 50 into the mold or casting chambers to support the article, the blocks being preferably composed of the same material as the molten metal to be cast, and of suflicient thickness and size to partially fill the mold chambers, thus reducing the amount of molten metal necessary to fill the and also absorbing a quantity of the heat from the molten metal. I then place or fix previously prepared sand pouring molds, such as the molds 40 and 41, on the tops of the chill molds, such sand pouring molds being provided with suitable gates and sink heads arranged and located so that the molten metal flowing therethrough Will not fall onto the hollow article, but will fall to the one side thereof, or in some other location so that the molten metal will first strike the chill mold sections and then flow or spread around the hollow article. Then lastly, directing molten metal into the pouring chambers of the sand pouring molds, and through the gates in such a manner that it will flow aeraeea into the mold or casting chambers and flow around the hollow articles and the separators or blocks, and form the desired castings.

It will be readily apparent to' those skilled in the art of metal casting, that various modifications in structure and arrangement of parts, and in minor details of the method, may be made to adapt this invention to various uses, and it will be expressly understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact details set forth in the specification and drawings, since these are only illustrative, and various modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims which define my invention.

1 claim 1. The method of casting metal shapes around hollow articles such as pipe, consisting in mounting said article in a chill mold, and pouring molten metal to be cast into said mold in such manner that it will strike said chill mold to the one side of said hollow article and flow up around the same, thereby having a portion of its intense heat absorbed by said chill mold before it contacts with and combines with said hollow article. i 2. The method of casting metal shapes around hollow articles such as pipe, consisting in mounting the article in sectional chill molds, mounting a sand pouring mold on the sectional chill molds having gates and sink heads arranged therein to direct molten metal into said chill molds to the one side of said hollow article, pouring molten metal through said gates so as to first strike said chill molds, then fiow up around said hollow article, thereby having a portion of its intense heat absorbed by said chill molds before it contacts with and combines with said hollow article.

3. The method of casting metal shapes around hollow articles such as pipe, consisting in mounting said article in a chill mold having a suitable casting chamber, inserting pieces of metal in said casting chambers, and pouring molten metal to be cast into said casting chamber in such a manner that it will strike said chill mold to the one side of said hollow article and flow up around the same, thereby having a portion or its intense heat absorbed by said mold and said metal pieces to prevent the burning of said hollow article when it contacts with the same.

4. The method of casting metal shapes around hollow articles such as pipe, consisting in mounting said article in sectional chill molds having suitable casting cham-- bers, inserting metal blocks in said casting chambers and in contact with said hollow article, said blocks being of sufhcient size to appreciably reduce the amount of metal necessary to fill the casting chamber and preferably being of the same material as the metal to be cast, mounting previously prepared sand pouring molds on said sectional chill molds having gates and sink heads arranged therein to communicate with said casting chambers and direct molten metal into said chambers to the one side of said hollow article, and pouring molten metal through said gates so as to first strike said chill molds then fiow up around said hollow articles and said inserted metal pieces, thereby having its intense heat absorbed by said chill mold and said inserted metal pieces and preventing burning of the hollow ar tic e.

5. The method of casting contact pieces onto a coil to form an electrode holder, consisting in mounting the coil in sectional chill molds, inserting metal separator blocks in casting chambers in said chill mold between said coil, said blocks being of sufficient size to appreciably reduce the amount of metal necessary to fill the casting chamber and preferably being of the same material as the metal to be cast, and directing molten metal into said casting chambers in such a manner that it will strike said chill molds to the one side of said coil and flow up around the same, thereby having its intense heat absorbed by said chill molds and said inserted pieces, thus preventing the burning of said coils.

6. An apparatus for casting metal around a hollow metal article such as a pipe, comprising a plurality of sectional chill molds, each of said molds being provided with a casting chamber, the sections of each of said molds fitting closely together and against said hollow article, a sand pouring mold on top of each of said molds, said sand mold belng provided with gates and risers communicating with said casting chamber, and means for clamping said mold sections and said several molds together.

7. An apparatus for casting metal around a hollow metal article such as a pipe, comprising a plurality of sectional chill molds, each of said molds being provided with a casting chamber, the sections of each of said molds fitting closely together and against said hollow article, a sand pouring mold on top of each of said molds, said sand mold being provided with gates and risers communicating with said casting chamber, said gates being located in such a position that the molten metal will not fall directly onto the hollow articles but will first strike said chill mold sections, and means for securing said mold sections and said molds together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. An apparatus for casting metal around a hollow metal article such as a pipe, comprising a set of chill mold sections having a portion cut away forming a casting chamher, said sections fitting closely together and against said hollow article, a sand pouring mold on top of said chill mold, and means for directing molten metal from said pouring mold into said casting chamber in such a manner and at such a point that it will not fall directly upon the hollow article, but will first fall onto the mold and flow up around said article, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. An apparatus for casting metal around a hollow metal article such as a pipe, comprising a base plate, a plurality of sectional chill molds mounted thereon, each of said aeaaeee molds being provided with a casting chamber, the sections of each of said molds fitting closely together and against said hollow article, a sand pouring mold on top of each of said molds, said sand mold being provided with gates and risers communicating with said casting chamber, and means for securing said mold sections and said several molds together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM F. CUNNINGHAM. 

